A long-haul professional truck driver spends his/her working hours seated in a truck. Depending on circumstance, the driver may need to obtain access to one or more various items, sometimes of a personal nature, while driving on the road. Consequently, convenient access to such items is obviously desirable.
While certain current production truck models that have sleeper compartments at the rear of the cab offer various options for personal storage, driver access to stored items in that area is at best difficult, and more likely impossible, while the driver is seated in the driver's seat. Smaller cabs that lack sleeper compartments have less available storage space.
Through survey information, the inventors have found that out of necessity, or preference, drivers keep some items within easy reach while driving and that when suitable storage space for such items simply isn't present in their trucks, the drivers create their own improvised storage arrangements using boxes, milk carton crates, etc., or they just leave items unorganized on the cab floor, dash, or console.
The inventors have also discovered that the importance of accessible storage to a driver seems to increase with a driver's age. Because older drivers often find it more difficult to stretch in order to retrieve far away items and to reach down in order to retrieve articles from the floor, they are more likely than younger ones to consider accessible storage especially important. They also tend to want better organization that allows certain personal items, such as medications, to be quickly found and easily reached when needed. Convenient storage and access to items creates a better working environment for the driver and promotes driver satisfaction.